Monday, August 31, 2015

Another week in the books here in Tianmu!



So this week was kind of crazy!! I'll tell you all about it:) 

Monday we went to the giant museum! It is called gugong here.. Not sure about english. The national museum of Taiwan or something.. There is an article in the Liahona that talks a little about it I read it today and it was super awesome I wished I'd read it before going! But if you search Jadeite cabbage in church stuff you can probably find it! I saw the Jadeite cabbage and tons of other art. Pots and clay and jade and paintings and mirrors and furniture.. They had it all! So much stuff it's crazy! And they cycle through it every season cause they have more! So that was cool!!

Also Elder marks friend from another area came and went with us and then helped us with a lesson that night! 

So Tuesday was probably the craziest day. I woke up in the morning with a really bad headache and so I didn't really work out and just took something for it and drank a bunch of water. Then I showered and still felt awful.. Then I threw up.. Hahaha crazy! Haven't done that in forever.. Then I laid down until we started studies and still didn't feel great.. Just weak and my head still hurt! But I prayed I'd feel better and by the end of studies at 12 I didn't have a headache or anything and just felt a little weak! It was great! I was able to go through out the rest of the day no problems:) Then Tuesday night.. We went up to a lesson with a family and on our way home we were a little late and in a hurry and a door popped open and Elder marks hit it! Then I slammed my brakes and grabbed the front one a little hard cause it works better and then I flipped up over the handlebars and landed on the ground next to Elder Marks;) hahahaha we were both completely fine though no worries:) But the poor lady that opened the door was so freaked out! She felt awful! But we promised we were okay and then were on our way.. After I realized we should have asked her to come to church and meet with us cause I don't think there's any way she'd say no after that;)

So there was that exciting story! 

Then a pretty normal week. Still don't have a lot of interested investigators so we are working on that! We found one guy that seemed super prepared and awesome and then he didn't live in our area! But hopefully he still accepts the gospel! 

I started talking a bit more.. It is scary but I'm getting better! Just gotta keep at it. This week was way better than last week as far as the amount I spoke:) Everyone says that I'm am doing well.. I have a lot of vocab but I don't know how to say stuff still and lots of times just not sure what to say.

We went on exchanges Friday and Saturday! I went over to Shilin with the zone leader Elder Anderton! He's from Seattle.. He is awesome! I learned a ton and it was a really really good experience. I learned I need to trust myself. We have been called of God to do this work. That should help  with the talking as I try to apply that.. Anyway I really loved that whole thing!

This week has been quite a bit cooler which has been really nice! But it has rained almost everyday which is less nice;) hahaha It is actually pretty fun! Just not getting your pants soaked and shirt and everything you have with you.. But the good new is.. My pants dry pretty fast;) 

Saturday.. I had the opportunity to baptized the Sisters sister! She was 16 or 17 I think! Anyway.. I learned the prayer that morning and was saying it all day trying to get the tones right! I was super nervous.. But it went great! I may not have said it as perfect as a native would have.. but I didn't have to do it again:) haha I also may have pushed her in the water a little hard.. But I'm learning;) 

It was a really cool experience! So cool to be a part of something like that:) I look forward to being able to help many more join our church and receive the wonderful blessings of baptism! I just need to figure out this teaching stuff:) 

When I introduce myself to people I show them our family picture and every time without fail they say something like this "Wow your mom is so young, so pretty!! Wow.. Wow so young, beautiful!" And then say how her and Brinn look like sisters and stuff! It is so funny! I love it:) They are all so nice! So Mom and Brinn.. Everyone here thinks you are beautiful:) Also lots think Brinn is my older sister for a second even though I introduce her as my younger sister;) And they don't recognize me because my hair is way different and I don't have my glasses on.. It's too much of a pain with the heat and sweat and rain.. They would get so dirty and stuff.. Anyway that was another exciting thing:)

We are focusing on bringing back Less actives cause there are so so so many it's insane.. And also on finding new people to teach! We have a few investigators we are hoping start to catch the vision of how this gospel can bless and change there lives! I want to find a good way to explain that to people when we are on the street.. The good news is there are tons of people here and so much work that can be done! We are just going to keep improving:) I feel like we should just be able to do it all right and stuff but this scripture helps me! Mosiah 4:27! We can only work as hard as we can.. We aren't expected to run faster than is possible. So I'm just trying to learn all of this and how to do it well and help people as fast as I can and I know it won't be all at once and isn't expected to be either. I feel like I should be able to do all this stuff and then Elder Anderton reminded me I've only been here in Tianmu like 2 weeks.. It's easy to forget.. I feel like I know some people pretty well and like I've been here longer:) 

Again the ward here is so awesome! So many nice people always willing to help us have a member present at lessons and always feeding us or sending home bags of fruit and stuff.. I feel bad! They're just too great!! Love them all! 

That's all from this week! Next week I hope to report some successes with investigators! I hope that you all have a blessed wonderful fun safe week! Take care! Don't forget your prayers and scriptures! 

Love you all! 

Elder Jensen

We eat this shaved ice with lots of chewy weird stuff and like beans and stuff in it! Pretty good:)

​I also tried some pig ear this week.. Not very tasty.. It was like crunchy! 

The Museum!


Baptism (That's Elder Anderton and Sister Coleman and Jensen)


Monday, August 24, 2015

Week 2 in Tianmu

Hello Everyone!! 

I am adjusting well to being wet and sweaty all the time! It is always so nice when we go into a building and have air conditioning or there is a little breeze outside.

The biking here is pretty crazy! I am safe though and now that I'm used to it it doesn't seem much different from riding at home. Still safe. I had been riding an old bike from the elder here before me, but this week my bike came!! It was like Christmas! Hahaha so good! 

I didn't speak as much as I should have last week so my goal this week is to talk to everyone and really try to progress in the language.. I can memorize words but I'm not going to get anywhere if I don't start speaking and figuring it out! 

Last Monday we went to Taipei 101! It is soooooo tall.. Holy cow.. When I was next to it I couldn't even really see to the top. It was really cool and fun! Also we got some mango ice cream stuff the fruit here, especially the mangoes, are super good!!

So every morning we get up and exercise. We have a track super close and so two times this week I did some of the old track work outs. Intervals and stuff and with all the biking throughout the day I hardly got sore which was really nice. That workout made me sore for a week and a half at home;) It is fun to get some exercise in the mornings.

I'm not sure how far we bike everyday.. It doesn't seem too bad. Everything is usually within maybe 10 to 20 minutes. 

We have a lot of investigators. I haven't even met them all yet. I am having a hard time keeping track of all the names and stuff still.. but getting better:) We have one young man that is 15 pretty ready for baptism but his parents are against it right now. We are going to meet with him this week and are hoping that we will be able to get him baptized next month! I really like him! 

Everyone else that we have taught so far hasn't seemed very interested. I am really trying to learn how I can allow the spirit to work through me and touch them as we are finding on the street so that they will want to meet again! So far I haven't had much success with that.. But it will work out. 

We met a lady and her daughter and she talked to us for like 40 minutes. Her doing most of the talking. She said she has a lot of questions and people don't like that here and stuff and she said she really thinks about stuff and we gave her a Book of Mormon and got their number and I'm really hoping that we will be able to get in touch with them and hopefully start teaching them.

A lot of times people on the street are super nice and will talk to us forever and then at the end we will have said two prayers with them and stuff and then they'll not even want to give us their number or take a book of mormon.. Hahaha they are so nice they just sit and listen and then aren't interested at all. I think we probably need to make it more of a conversation. I would like to teach short powerful messages on the street that get people interested. We are going to try more of that this week I think. Cause Elder Marks has been teaching long lessons and doing most of the talking while they just listen and that hasn't worked out too well so far. He is 21 by the way! Just a side note! 

Hahaha I really am starting to like it here though. And the people in the ward are all super awesome I love them!! I am looking forward to another week with hopefully some more successful stories for next week! Also the time goes by a lot faster here than in the MTC I think.

I love study time in the morning.. There is so much good stuff in the scriptures everyone!! Tons!! 

Okay I think that is it from me this week! I will send pictures of everything! 

Oh and the sisters in the area next to ours asked me to baptize one of their investigators on Saturday I think! That will be my first time! and in Chinese;) ahhh! haha but exciting! Can't wait to have one that we have taught! 

Love and miss you all!! 

Love Elder Jensen!

Taipei 101 :D
Taipei 101!  So Tall!

And From the top!
 This thing holds the top of the tower in place ( gets pretty windy up there).

A friend we found on our run up the hill today.
This mornings run! Top of the hill.. Totally forgot my tag. Felt awful..

My Bike!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Happy Father's Day! Also week 1 in Taiwan

August 8 is fathers day here because it is ba ba which is dad and 8 8;) 

So I am in Taiwan!! We had a super long flight out and then it all got started! I am sitting in an internet cafe right now! It is funny there are just rows of computers and tons of people playing video games;)

So Tuesday night after landing we just went to bed. Then Wednesday morning we ran to a park and then came back and did some service for the day in the basement of the church pulling out a ton of garbage. Wednesday was an extra day that they had no plan for because usually missionaries fly in on Wednesday night. So after service we got to go to the temple! Then we had pizza for dinner and attended the missionaries English class! It was really fun! 

Thursday we ran to the Chang Kaishek memorial and back and then filled out some paper work and had some training and then that night all of the trainers came and they put us with a random one and sent us out tracting for the first time! I was pretty scared! I didn't say much or understand too much.. but it was really good! By the end it wasn't scary either! 

Friday.. We got our companions and areas!! My companion is Elder Marks.. He is from Draper and he has been here a little over a year! His Chinese is way better than mine! I am serving in an area called Tianmu! I have been told I'm spoiled cause this is like the richest and most american area.. So it is pretty nice. Hahaha doesn't seem much like America to me;) but our apartment is pretty big.. And there are some nice cars out and about! 

Saturday and Sunday I spent meeting members and teaching a bunch of lessons.. Or listening to them;) 

The language: I don't know Chinese! Hahahaha I can understand some! Quite a bit if it is about certain things.. Like in our lessons I know most of what is said. But in sacrament meeting I had  a bit of a hard time! It will come though! In sacrament meeting I had to introduce myself and share my testimony! I was a little scared but just went for it.. I think it went okay! Everyone told me it was good! I have a harder time understanding when people are talking directly to me.. If they ask me questions I am pretty lost most of the time! So I'm excited to improve in that area! 

Food! I haven't had any bad food yet.. Some tastes not wonderful though. Hahaha I don't even know how to explain! But last night we ate at a members and he gave us some really good rice and beef and vegetables! It was kinda like something we would have at home! 

We just go out and hand out tracts and talk to people on the street to find new investigators! So far we haven't had too much success with that but it's only been like two days! Most people are pretty willing to talk! They just listen and then walk away.. Hahaha I haven't done too much of the talking yet with them though! 

Elder Marks has been here for two transfers already I think so he kinda knows his way around. I still usually have no idea where we are;) I'm working on it.. And another thing I'm working on is names! Everyone in the ward has like the same names and they are hard for me to remember! 

Our ward seems awesome! and Ward members and non members keep handing us food. They are all super nice!! 

Let me know if there are questions I still haven't answered! 

I have already felt the help of the Lord. Mosiah 4: 9  I definitely don't understand everything.. not even close. But I just have to trust that He does. He has a plan for all of us. And he loves us! Have a blessed week! 

I love all of you! Miss you too! 

Love Elder Jensen

Goodbyes at MTC!

Dedicatory Sight!
It is also super super hot here and humid.. I am like wet and sweaty almost all the time. But most of the buildings have air conditioning and that helps out a lot! 
A Members baptism!
 A GIANT spider we found in the church!
 My bedroom
 Out my apartment window.

Monday, August 10, 2015

No Letter Today, Headed to Taiwan!

Today there wasn't a letter but we got to talk to Briggs while he was at the airport. He sounded really good and is super excited about what's to come! He said that he got up at 4am this morning and he doesn't plan on sleeping on his flights. That way he'll be ready to sleep when he gets there. He will be flying to Portland OR then to Tokyo then onto Taiwan. He will arrive in Taiwan at 8:35 pm August 11th.  Which will be 6:35 am on the 11th for us.

Here is a quick picture he sent us from the airport.

This is a picture of Brinn with Briggs MTC companion Elder Hawkes.  He found out Saturday morning that his Visa didn't come through and he was being temporarily reassigned to Oakland CA. Brinn just happened to be flying home from Oakland and was going to be boarding at the gate he just arrived from.  She said he was super nice and said "Hi Sister Jensen" before she even said anything. They both were told to look out for the other.  Small world!

Monday, August 3, 2015

Last Week Here

So a lot has happened this last week and I don't have very much to tell you about it!!

There was a great devotional last Tuesday about receiving personal revelation and the sacredness of prayer! I loved it!! Then yesterday we had another really good devotional that talked about how sometimes we have to wrestle with the Lord to get answers.. I don't know how to explain but it was good! 

I saw Elder Squire this week which was great! He seemed really good! Also he told me Ethan Garlick is coming to Taipei for his mission in December! Is that true? 

Um.. Elder Facer had to go to the dentist Wednesday so I got to drive through Provo with him! In the shuttle.. I wasn't driving.. haha it was weird. Kinda hard seeing so many places I'd been and made memories at but it was good too! 

I washed all my shirts and pants for the first time today before I leave.. That was crazy;) Don't worry they didn't smell or get dirty or I would have washed them sooner!

I've written in a journal everyday since being here.. I don't know I can't believe I've done that so I wanted to let everyone know! And maybe you all could try it! I imagine sometime we'll all wish we could remember some point in our lives and if we have it written that will really help!! 

We got our new all Chinese name tags! And travel plans! I leave on the 10th and fly to Tokyo and then to Taipei. I will land there around 8:30 PM on the 11th! Long flight.. But super exciting! I can't wait to get there!! I think the language will be hard for a little but it will be good! Also hopefully the food is good! I'm excited to embrace the people and culture!! 

This morning we got a little taste of Taiwan. Got absolutely soaked coming back from the temple! It was fun!! And really wet;) 

That is all for this week! I'm not sure if I will be able to email until the 17th.. We'll see what happens! 

Good luck with your week! Have a good one! Rely on the Lord!! He will take care of you! 

Love you and miss you all!

Elder Jensen
New name tag.
  Our Taiwanese teacher takes care of us.

 Soaked this morning coming back from the temple!
 Another haircut, short for Taiwan.